US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the people of Iran had asked him to become the Supreme Leader and added that he is not interested. While speaking at a fundraiser event, Trump said Iranians asked him, “We’d like to make you the next Supreme Leader,” and shared his reply to the prospect: “No, thank you, I don’t want it.”
Trump’s comments come at a time when Iran and the US are countering each other on negotiations for a possible ceasefire. While the US claims to have carried out “productive talks” with Iran, Tehran has rejected claims of any direct or indirect talks on this front.
Upon being asked whether Trump has any idea of anyone taking over as Iran’s supreme leader, the president said, “There has never been a head of a country that wanted that job less than being a head of Iran.”
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Trump says in talks with Iran
While Iran has denied reports of talks with US, Trump on Wednesday insisted that Iran was taking part in peace talks, suggesting Tehran’s denials were because Iranian negotiators fear being killed by their own side.
“They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly. But they’re afraid to say it,” Trump said, adding that the country is also afraid they will be killed by US.
His comments came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that “we do not intend to negotiate”.
Speaking on the West Asia conflict, Trump said: “When I went on to do something that for 47 years should have been done by any of the other Presidents, and you heard numerous of them said they wished they did it, but they didn’t have the guts to do it.”
He also said that the aim behind attacks on Iran was to “get rid of the cancer,” which was Iran with a nuclear weapon. “We have cut it out. Now we are going to finish it off,” Trump added.
Also read: Sharif’s offer, Trump’s 15-point peace plan to Iran: How Pak became central to war talks
Who is the current supreme leader of Iran?
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei took over after his father’s assassination at the start of the war. There have been concerns about his health, and safety after the leader has not been seen in public since taking over the position.
While he did not appear in person, Mojtaba Khamenei delivered an Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz message on Friday, in a written statement, which was read on state television.
